Ball throwing device



July 28, 1953 M. GOLDMAN BALL THROWING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 1950 6Sheets-Sheet l Mia"! 68 67 5m FIG.I.

INVENTOR MARTIN GOLDMAN,

ATTORN EY July 28,1953 M. G LDMAN 2,646,1785 f BALL THRQWING DEVICE i d21, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 K I I 229 INVENTOR MARTIN GOLDMAN,

W MM4A v ATTORNEY ly 8,1953 M. GOLDMAN 46,

- BALL THROWING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORMARTIN GQLDMAN,

' ATTORNEY July 28, 1953 M. GOLDMAN 2,646,785

BALL THROWING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 59 60 INVENTOR'MARTIN OLDMAN FIG. u.

ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED s'rA'rss harem OFFICE BALLTHROWING DEVICE Martin Goldman, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application November 21, 1950, Serial No. 196,774

This invention relates to ball throwing or pitching machines designed tothrow base balls, tennis balls or the like to an individual stationed ata predetermined distance from the machine, who endeavors to strike thethrown ball with a base ball bat, racket or other suitable ball hittinginstrument.

Various novel objects are involved in this invention and are enumeratedas follows:

1. The machine is to be provided with means attachable to the machine,for rolling the machine from one location to another and detachable fromthe machine when it is desired to set the machine immovable in location.

2. The inclusion, in a ball throwin machine of the character described,of a magazine for holding a multiplicity of balls and discharging theball from the magazine, one at a. time and in consecutive order, uponguides which deposit the ball upon an impeller mechanism which willproject the ball from the machine.

3. Including means for regulating the discharge intervals between apredetermined number of balls from the magazine and automaticallystopping the operation of the machine when the last of the predeterminednumber of balls has been discharged from the magazine and projected fromthe machine.

4. The inclusion of automatically operated signaling means to indicatethat a ball is about to be projected. v a

5. The inclusion of a remote switch controlling means located at a pointdistant from the machine but convenient to the batter whereby theoperation of the ball throwing machine may be controlled at that point.

6. The inclusion of means for changing the angle or vertical directionof the path of the projected ball.

7. The inclusion of means for horizontally shifting the projectingmechanism of the machine to control the direction horizontally of thepath of the projected ball.

8. The inclusion of stretchable, endless impeller elements which arerotatably mounted upon the machine and rotate about their supports toreduce the wear and tear of the stretchable, endless impeller elements.

9. The inclusion of a flexible strap disposed between and connected tothe stretchable endless impeller elements and cushioned bumperelementsto receive and soften the impact of the flexible strap.

10. The inclusion of means for centering the ball, which is to bedischarged from the magazine, upon an impeller mechanism forming a partof this invention.

11. The inclusion of disengageable linking means by the use of which thestretchable end 15 Claims. (Cl. 124-21) less impeller elements may beeasily and quickly removed for replacement.

12. The inclusion of a removable split covering member suspended overthe impeller mechanism and having an orifice at its front end alignedwith the path of a ball as it leaves the machine.

13. The inclusion of filler rings or spacer washers upon impellersupporting bolts to adapt the supporting bolts to the width of thestretchable endless impeller elements.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of anorganization in which the constituent elements are so arrangedstructurally and functionally as to assure improved results withmaterials and members which may be manufactured at reasonable cost, maybe easily assembled and which will be efiicient in operation withminimum wear to the parts.

The best embodiment of the invention has been chosen for illustrativepurposes, but this embodiment should be viewed as being illustrativeonly and not as limiting because obviously the invention is capable ofother embodiments having revised details of construction, so long asthey fall within the ambit of the appended claims.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and itsmethod of operation, will best be understood from the followingdescription of a specific embodiment when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, showing a cover member in section andwith other parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a View, in elevation, of the opposite side of the machine andshows the cover member in section and parts of the supporting frame orstand broken away.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the front or ball discharging end ofthe machine and shows por tions broken away and omitted.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail, in elevation, of a part of the machineand will herein-after be fully described.

Fig. 5 is also a fragmentary, elevational view of a part which will behereinafter described.

Fig. 6 is a rear View in elevation, of the machine and shows portionsbroken away.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of a part which will be hereinafterdescribed.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of same taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail in elevation, taken along line 9-9 ofFig. '7.

Fig. 10 is a plan or top view of the machine having the ball magazineremoved and part of the top of the covering member broken away todisclose the impeller mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 11 is a partial top view, having the covering member removed andlooking into the open top of the ball magazine which is shown withoutballs and with parts broken away.

Fig. 12 is a plan view, in enlarged scale, of a portion of an impellerunit which forms a part of the ball throwing machine and shows partsbroken away.

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of same and shows parts broken away.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a detachable link member which forms a part ofthe impeller unit and will hereinafter be described, and

Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation taken along line i i-i l of Fig. 11.

Referring in detail to the parts, H designates a main supporting standor frame having legs :7 2 converging at the top and welded or otherwisesecured to a cross-bar l3 and diverging toward their lower ends (Fig. 3)and welded or otherwise secured to a cross-bar is near the lower end oflegs 2. The lower ends of the legs 52 are provided with wheels is (Figs.2 and 3). The rear end of the supporting frame is provided with legs italso converging at their top ends which are welded or otherwise securedto a cross bar I? and diverge downwardly to their lower ends which arewithout wheels and rest firmly upon the ground. Slidably mounted uponthe cross-bar I3 is a pair of spaced cheek members [8, having disposedbetween and welded or otherwise secured to them, a channel member l9,forming thereby an integral unit embracing the cheek members 58 and thechannel member IS.

A block 23 (Figs. 7 and 8) is pivotally mounted upon the cross-bar l3and is held approximately centrally between the cheeks l8 by means of apin or dowel 2 I secured upon the cross-bar is by a bolt 22 of which itforms a part. The block 2! has a bore 23 Within which the pin 2i engagesand this bore is slightly elongated along the longitudinal axis of themachine to allow for a slight longitudinal movement of the block withrespect to the position of the pin or dowel. The block 28 is furtherprovided with a horizontal internally threaded bore 26 through which athreaded portion 25 of a turntable rod 26 engages. The said rod itextends through bushings 2'! which are attached to the rod 25 and areformed with narrowed shanks 28 which engage through orifices in thecheeks is. The rod 26 may be extended at either side and terminates in ahandle 29 by means of which the rod 2% may be rotated clockwise orcounterclockwise to move the cheeks and channel to the right or left asmay be desired, to change the horizontal direction of the flight of theball as will be further on explained. Referring now to Figs. 7, 8 and 9it will be noted that the sliding member consisting of the cheeks l8,channel 29 and partially threaded turntable shaft 26 may be laterallymovable upon the crossbar 53 and may be held thereon against accidentaldisplacement by means of depending tongues ac and are held therein bywashers 3i and bolts 3?. which are threaded into th depending tongues38. This slotted connection, however, may be omitted if desired, and thecheeks and connected parts held thereon by gravity exerted by the weightof the mounted impeller mechanism as will be hereinafter described.

The cross-bar ll, heretofore mentioned, has welded or otherwise securedto it, a boss 33 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) and a short distance below the bossis a cross-bar 36, which is secured between the rear legs It. Both theboss 33 and the cross-bar 33 have aligned threaded bores 35 and 36respectively through which a threaded bar 37 engages. Upon the lower endof the threaded bar 3? there is provided a handle 38 by which thethreaded bar 3'? may be turned. The upper end of the threaded bar 3? isrounded as at 38 and engages in a rounded or concave pocket sEl formedupon a plate ll to which the rear ends of elongated angular members 42and i3 are welded or otherwise secured. The said elongated angularmembers ii! and 43 form the base members of a secondary supporting framewhich carries the operating and ball projecting mechanism of themachine. The front or forward ends of the angular members i2 and 43 arepivotally attached to the cheeks l8, heretofore mentioned (Figs. 1, 2,3, 6, '7 and 8) by means of a bolt .4 and spacer tube 55. The pivotalconnection just described, coacting with the threaded bar El at the rearend, provides a means for vertically tilting the angular mem bers $2 andwhich members carry the impeller mechanism of the ball throwing machineas new to be described.

Secured to the top and near the rear end of the angular members 42 and33 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) there is a channeled cross-piece 3% which has acut out portion 4'? (Fig. 6) and has reinforcing webs 48 which arewelded to the top of the angular members 32 and 43 and to the channeledcross piece 46. A bar 39 secured to the top of the channeled cross-pieced6 extends outwardly from one side and a second bar 553 also secured tothe top of the channeled cross-piece 45 extends outwardly in theopposite direction. To the outer ends of the outwardly extending bars 19and 50 there is secured upstanding supporting rods 5| and 52respectively to which the ends of horizontal diverging carrier bars 53and 5e respectively are attached. The diverging carrier bars 53 and 54are further supported, approximately at their centers, by means ofupstanding rods 55 and 56 respectively which rods are in turn carriedand secured to a cross-plate 51 (Fig. 10). The cross-plate 5i rests uponand is secured to the flange 0f the angular members 42 and 43 (Figs. 1,2 and 10). Attached to the outer ends of the carrier bars 53 and 54, asat 58 and 59, is a partially circular band SQ, shown in Fig. 10, bydot-dash lines. The said circular band and part of its connected carrierbars form a support for an enclosing or covering member M which isformed with downwardly projecting side walls 62 along the front andsides and partly across the rear. The said covering member is made up oftwo sections and has joining edges along a central line (not shown)extending from a point P to the front wall and down the front wall alongthe line L, as shown in Fig. 5, which also shows an opening 83 throughwhich the balls emerge from the machine after leaving an impeller unitwhich will presently be described. A circular opening 64 in the top ofthe covering member 62 is provided wherein a magazine 55 is adapted toset and rest upon the carrier bars 53 and 54. Suitable means (not shown)may be provided for securing the magazine to the carrier bars.

'II is secured to the shaft I and has a drive gear 12 (Fig. 1) alsosecured to the shaft I0. A worm gear I3 engages the drive gear and formsthe upper portion of an upright shaft I4 which is suitably mounted in abearing I5 on a cross bar I6. The shaft I4 extends downwardly andcarries, at its lower end, a pulley I1 and a drive belt I8 whichconnects the pulley 11 with a motor driving pulley I9 upon the shaft 80of a motor 8I. The motor BI is suitably mounted upon a plate 82 which isin turn mounted upon and swings about a depending rod 83, which rod issecurely welded or otherwise attached to the angular member 42. To holdthe belt I8 in tight contact with the pulley I1 and the motor drivingpulley I9 there is provided a tension spring 84 which is disposedbetween the swinging motor carrying plate 82 as at 85 and the leg l2 at88. Engaging over the sprockets 68 and TI is a chain belt 81 having pins88 and 89 which extend laterally upon both sides of the chain belt 81and are spaced equally distant upon the chain belt. The said belt, whendriven by the worm and gear connection with the motor drive, travels inthe direction indicated by the arrow shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A cross-bar 90, T-shaped in cross section, is notched into and welded tothe bearing blocks 66 at the front end of the machine, as at 9! (Figs.1, 2 and 10) and carries upon each end a plate 92 and 93 having narrowedextensions 94 and 95 respectively. To the said extensions 94 and 95there is attached upright pins or bolts 96 and 91 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 10)which are held upon the plate by threaded ends 98 (Fig. 13) which engagethrough threaded bores in the said extensions 94 and 95, and are securedby nuts 99. The said pins or bolts 96 and 91 carry the impeller unitwhich will now be described.

Engaging over each of the upright bolts 98 and 91 is an endlessstretchable belt I09 and IOI (Figs. 3, 10, 12 and 13). The stretchableendless belts I00 and I 0| also engage pins or bolts I02 and Iii-3 whichare connected by links I04 and I85 to pins or bolts I06 and W1, in turnembraced by split clamp I08 and I09. A strap IIO, of leather or othersuitable non-stretchable, flexible material, is secured between thesplit ends of the clamps I08 and I09, thus connecting the stretchableendless belts into a single impeller member as best shown in Figs. 3,10, 12 and 13. Referring to Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, a means is shownwhereby an intermittent motion in the direction indicated by the arrowsX in Fig. 12 is imparted to the stretchable endless belt IOI. As will bepresently fully explained,the strap H0 is drawn back and stretches theendless belts I00 and IM to a predetermined point when it isautomatically released under great pressure and resumes its normal statestriking against bumpers, the relative position of which is shown by thedotted circular lines in Fig. 12, and creating a force which gives apartial rotative movement to the endless belt equal to aboutone-thirtieth of its length, in the direction indicated. Thus thismovement of the endless belt equally distributes the wear and tear uponthe belt and greatly prolongs the useful life of the same. To facilitatethis movement there is provided a collar or tube III which engagesloosely around the bolt 91, a second tube II2 encircles the tube Ill butis spaced apart from it and disposed between the two tubes and needleroller bearings II3. A similar arrangement of tubes and needle bearingis employed on the bolt I03. The width of the endless belt may varywithin certain limits and to meet any variation in the width of the beltbeyond that shown in Fig. 13, filler rings or washers II4 may be removedas desired. The bolt E03 is formed with a cap II5 over which the upper,and if desired the lower link I05 may engage. For this purpose anelongated opening H9 is formed in the links. One part II'I of theelongated opening has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter ofthe cap II5 allowing the cap to pass therethrough, While a portion H8 isof a smaller diameter to engage the stem H9 of the bolt I03. With suchan arrangement the endless belt is easily removed for replacementpurposes by slightly turning the nut I20 upon the bolt I0I to give playto the link. While this description of belt mounting and linkconnections has been confined to one of the two endless belts upon themachine, it is nevertheless obvious that the same construction isapplied to the endless stretchable belt I00 forming the other end of theimpeller unit. The bumpers referred to are best shown in assembly, inFig. 3, where they carry the reference numerals I2I and I22 and aresecured upon flat bands forming tracks I23 and I24 respectively. Thetracks extend almost along the entire length of the apparatus as bestshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 10.

The tracks I23 and I24 are secured at their forward ends, upon blocksI25 and E28 respectively, the said blocks being in turn secured upon theT-shaped cross-bar 99. At approximately their central point the tracksare supported by upstanding members I21 and I28 spaced apart and securedto the flanges of the angular themhere i2 and 33 upon either side of thechain belt 87 and allowing clearance for moving parts between them. Atthe rear the tracks are supported upon the outwardly extending bars 29and 58. In roller engagement upon the tracks I23 and I29 there is a baseplate 229 adapted to reciprocal rolling movement, rollers I39 beingprovided near the four corners of the base plate for this purpose. Uponthe rolling base plate E36 there is secured an upstandng slotted blockI3I within the slot of which there is pivotally mounted at I32 a leverI33 having a long and short arm. The short forwardly extending armterminates in a hooked coupler element 539 while the rearwardlyextending, long arm is provided with a laterally extending pin or fingerits (Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 10) which engages with an adjustable cam elementI35 when the base plate carries the pin or finger I to the point ofcontact with the cam element E96, as will be explained. A secondupstanding block it? is also mounted upon the rolling base plate 629 andhas pivoted thereto (Fig. 2) a bent lever E38, pivoted to the block I32at I355. The lever I38 is formed with a rearwardly and upwardlyextending arm I99 which acts as a pawl mem ber and engages with aratchet wheel lei directly under the floor of the ball magazine 95,which rotates the ball feeding mechanism, as will be hereinafterdescribed. A rearwardly extending portion I 22 is weighted to overcomethe weight of the pawl member I40 and which moves about its pivotalconnection I39. A third upright block I43 is secured to the forward endof the rolling base plate I29 and is formed with a central orifice orpassage HM (Fig. 2) through which a hooked coupler member I 55, which issecured upon the aforementioned strap H9 engages and will be hereafterfully explained. The hooked coupler member M5 is adapted to engage thehooked coupler member its as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The description now goes back to the impeller unit which will now bedescribed in more detail, reference being had to Figs. 3, l0, l2, l3 and15. As already set forth, the impeller unit as a whole comprises thestretchable endless belts i8 5 and iii (the stretchable belt id?) notbeing shown in Figs. 12 and 13) each mounted upon standards or bolts 96and 9'. respectively and having link connections with a flexible strapmember Ht. Included also in the impeller unit is an impeller elementattached to the strap H and comprising a rear plate and a front platel4? which are riveted together, through the strap H6, by rivets 543formed with heads Hi9 and having extending semi-spherical buttens orknobs i553 that act as a centering means and hold a projected ball inproper alignment for the throw. The heretofore hooked coupler its isattached to the plates ifiifi and Hi? and has a narrowed shank i5l whichextends through rear plate I56, strap H8 and front plate Hi! and isriveted as at r52. The bumpers consist of bolts :53 and 155 which aresecured, in upright position, to the tracks :23 and i2 3 respectivelyand each is covered with a thick layer of any suitable resilientmaterial 555 and 56 respectively.

The plates 92 and 93 carrying the bolts 88 and 9? are slidable upon theupper flange of the T- shaped cross-bar 9i and may be adjusted by meansof threaded shafts 157 and 153 respectively, which shafts are turnabiyattached at L59 and 66 to projecting lugs iii and I62 upon the T-bar 9i,engage through threaded bores in lugs I63 and 8 3 depending from theplates 92 and and are provided with crank handles 1% and ifiii. Yokemembers it? and H38 are attached to and depend from the plates as and 93and are slidable against either side of the T cross-bar 9!. Set screwsits and i'i'ii engage through the yoke members i6? and H38 and provide ameans for securely tightening the plates in position. Upon releasing thehold of the set screws :69 and [lo upon the attached plates as and thesaid plate may be moved in either direction along the T cross-bar toshift the impeller unit and properly align the impeller carrying thecentering buttons or knobs its. Depending lugs s2 and are secured to theunder side of the plates 82 and 93 respectively and engage along theouter edges of the flanges of the T bar 95] and act as guides for theplates s2 and S3 and slide along same.

Eecured to the aforementioned rolling plate i253 and extendingdownwardly between the tracks I23 and 52 are fingers ill and H2 withwhich the laterally extending pins to or 89 upon the chain belt 81engage. The said laterally extending pins upon both sides of the movingchain belt '8? contacting the fingers will move the rolling base plate525% and its attached parts rearwardly until the pins 88 upon the chainbelt becomes disengaged with the said pins. The rolling base plate beingreleased from contact with the moving chain belt is brought forward bymeans of a cable H3 attached at one end to a cross-bar connecting thefingers on both sides of and spanning the chain belt as at H4. The saidcable I13 passes over a pulley I15 mounted in standards '56 which aresecured upon a cross plate iii which is in turn secured to the flangesof the angular members 42 and 43. From the pulley I75, the cable I13passes over a guide mentioned roller H8, rotatably mounted in acylindrical weight housing member H9, then down the cylindrical weighthousing member lit to a weight (553 to which its end is attached as at58!. The said weight being suhicient heavy to draw the said rollingbase-plate 29 in a forwardly direction when same is free from fingercontact with the chain belt Si. The cam element I36 is slidable upon thetrack i2 5 and is adjustable, in a longitudinal direction by means of athreaded shaft i 32, the inner end of which is rotatably mounted in abearing block E83 which is stationary upon the track l2 i. From thebearing block 5S3 the threaded shaft E82 passes through a threadedborein the cam element 1 38 and has its outer end rotatably mounted in asecond bearing block I84 which is also fixed upon the track i255. Acrank handle its is provided for turning the shaft to slide the cam H555to the desired position. The pin R35 upon the lever 33 hereinbeforementioned will strike the beveled front edge of the cam, ride up thebeveled edge and continue along the extending arm i823 until the fingersii! and ii? are disengaged from the chain belt 8'5. A supportin rackmember 53?, supported upon the cross-bar 5? and a second cross bar 88,may be provided along which the chain belt may move. The cylindricalweight housing member H9 is attached to a plate 289 which is securelyattached between the cheeks i8 and above the channeled cross member itand is formed with a forwardly extending arm I98 which contacts and iswelded or otherwise secured to the cylindrical weight housing memberSis.

Pivotally attached at Hi! to the cylindrical weight housing member H9and mounted between cheek pieces I82 welded or otherwise secured tocylindrical housing member, is a semaphore type signal element H3. SeeFigs. 2, 3, 4 and 10. The inner edge of the semaphore is formed with atriangular shaped cam ltd which projects into the cylindrical weighthousing H9, through a slot I95. The upper end of the semaphore I93terminates in a disk Isil which moves into the position shown in Fig. 4,due to the urge of a spring i9! attached at one end to the semaphore at98 and attached at its opposite end to an orificed lug i99 upon the arm$93, when the weight 189 is positioned below the cam projection. Whenthe weight Hi0 rises to the position shown in Fig. 3, it forces thesemaphore outwardly as shown. In Fig. 5 the semaphore disk I98 is shownas it appears in line with the opening 63 in the front wall 52 of thecovering member 6| indicating to the batter that no ball is ready to beprojected from the machine. A broad colored ring 290, preferably red,may be applied around the opening 63 to emphasize the outline of theopening.

The ball discharging mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 11 andcomprises the magazine 65 having a fixed bottom 2M formed with a balldischarging opening 252. The ratchet wheel MI is attached to a shaft 283which extends upwardly into the ball magazine 65 and has secured to it adrum comprising a lower plate member 2%, a top member 2% and an annularwall 266. The said drum is securely attached to the shaft 203, bywelding or otherwise, and turns with the shaft when same is rotated.Separator or spacer rings 20? and 2GB are welded to the base plate 204and rotate with same. It will be noted (Figs. 1 and 11) that thediameter of the drum is considerably less than the diameter of the ballmagazine and that the annular wall 206 of the drum and the lower portionof the wall of the magazine 65 form a trough 206' in which a series ormultiplicity of tubular members or ball pockets 20I move. The saidpockets are welded or otherwise securely attached to the annular wall206 of the said drum. An inverted pan shaped member comprises a top 208,which slips freely over the shaft 203 and an annular side wall 209 whichrests freely upon the top member 206 of the drum. Balls 2I0 are heldwithin the magazine 65 and are adapted to drop from the top 208 over itsside into the pockets 201. A ball 2I0 indicated by dot-dash lines inFig. 1, when discharged through the opening 202, will drop upon an upperrunway comprising tracks 2I2. The said runway 2I2 is mounted upon thesaid rolling plate I29 and holds the ball in the position shown by thedot-dash lines until the forward ends 2I3 of the runway have passedrearwardly beyond the ball discharging opening 202 when the said ballwill drop to a second runway 2M which is also secured to and extendsforwardly to a point beyond the ends 2 I3 of the runway 2I2. To keep theball temporarily in the position shown in Fig. 1, there may be provideddepending stop members 2E5 and 2I6 (Figs. 1 and 11) A stop or holdingmember 2I'I is attached to the wall of the magazine and is positionedabove the opening 202 (Figs. 1 and 11) in the bottom 20! and is employedto prevent any ball from the magazine from dropping into the pocket overthe opening 202 as will be further on explained. The consecutiveoperation of all the parts heretofore described will be hereinafter morefully described and explained.

A switch and connection box 2I8 containing a conventional solenoidoperated switch and connections and has connected to it afiexibleconductor cable 2I9 which supplies power from its source. A conductor220 leads current from the connection box to the motor 8i. A conductorcable 22! leads from the connection box 2Iii to a remote control switch222 which may be located at a distance from the machine. Still anotherflexible cable conductor 223 leads from the connection box 2I8 to asecond connection box 224 upon the wall of the magazine 65. Theconnection box 22 may be supplied with an electrically controlledcounting means which is actuated by means of a microswitch (not shown)located within the connection box 224 and has its actuating pin 226projecting through the wall of the magazine 66 in alignment withtripping lugs 226 upon each of the ball pocket members 20?. Anadditional tripping lug 22'! is provided upon one of the ball pocketmembers, which is aligned with the actuating pin 226 of a secondmicroswitch (not shown) in the connection box 22 The said micro-switch,actuated by the pin 228, controls the current to a solenoid switch,located in the connection box 2 I8, through which current is fed to themotor BI. A conductor 229 leads from the connection box 222 to a lampsocket 230 upon the front wall of the magazine 66.

To facilitate the movement of the machine from place to place, there isprovided a long bent lever 23I having a cross-handle 232 at its upperend and a roller or wheel 233 mounted in a hub 234. From the hub thereprojects, approximately at right angles to the lever 22 I, a short arm235 having a hooked end 236 which may be passed under a cross-bar 231secured between the rear legs I6. The hooked end 236 is adapted toengage in an orifice 23B and when the handle 232 and. the lever 23I ispulled downwardly, the hooked end 236 will enter the orifice as far as ashoulder 239 at the base of the hooked neck, and lift the legs I6 andallow the machine to be rolled.

The various switches and the connections thereto are all standard andconventional and it is therefore deemed unnecessary to go into anydetailed description regarding same.

Operation The position of the parts, at the start of the machine, are asshown in Fig. 1 where the impeller unit and the impeller retracting orstretching mechanism are locked together. The rolling base plate I29with its attached parts is shown in its forward position and is heldthus by means of the weight I60, connected by cable I13 to the fingersIII and I12 depending from the rolling base plate. In the said positionthe hooked cou pler I34 which is pivotally mounted upon the. rollingbase plate, is in engagement with the hooked coupler I45 which is inturn secured to the plates I46 and I4? upon the impeller strap III]. Thedrum rotating pawl I38 which is pivotally mounted upon the rolling baseplate 29 is shown in engagement with the drum rotating ratchet wheel IIt might here be noted that as the balls 2I0 are loaded into themagazine 65 the first balls will roll off the top I39 of the invertedcamshape memberand fall into all of the pockets 201 with the exception ofthe pocket directl over the ball discharge opening 202 in the fixedbottom 20I of the magazine 65. The stop 2I'I blocks any ball fromdropping in the pocket over the opening mentioned. The semaphore signaldisk I96 is in place over the opening 63 in the front wall of thecovering member 6!.

A starting button upon the connection box 2 I8 or at the remote controlswitch box 222 may now be pressed to throw a starting switch to sendcurrent to the motor 8i and light the lamp in the socket 230. Thelighted lamp in the socket indicates that the machine is in operation.With the motor running a drive through the motor pulley I9, belt I8,large pulley TI and shaft 'Id upon the upper end of which there is aworm I3, is created to rotate the worm. A gear wheel I2 upon a shaft I0engages the worm I3 and rotates a sprocket wheel II also secured uponthe shaft I0. The sprocket II gives motion to a chain belt 8! and anidler sprocket 60 supports the opposite end of the chain belt, whichobviously is an endless belt. The pins 88 extending from each side ofthe chain belt are about to engage the fingers III and I12 which areattached to and depend from the rolling base plate I29.

The continued movement of the chain belt 8? brings the pins 08 intocontact with the fingers III and H2 and begins the rearward movement ofthe rolling base plate I29 drawing with it, by means of the connectedhooked couplers I35 and I45, the impeller and its connected strap l I0,and stretching the attached stretchable endless belts I00 and IOI.

The rearward movement of the rolling plate continues to approximatelythe position shown in Fig. 2 and by the dot-dash lines in Fig. 10, whenpocket 201 into line with the ball dischargin opening 202 where it dropsthrough to the runway 2I2 (Fig. 3 and dot-dash line in Fig. 1). The ballremains in this position until the ends 2I3 of the runway have passedthe discharge opening, at which point the ball drops off same and landsupon the second or lower runway Z-Ii in front of the impeller plate I41.The rolling base plate I29 is at this point, still moving rearwardly andcontinues to do so to bring the pin I35 into contact with the cam I36and cause said pin to ride up the beveled edge of the cam I36 and movethe hooked coupler I34 out of engagement with the hooked coupler I45which is attached to the impeller plates I48 and MT and to the strapIll]. The disengagement of the two said hooked couplers releases theimpeller whereupon the tension created in the stretchable endless beltsI and Hi l causes the same to snap forward, impelling the ball along therunway 2I4 and project the ball, with speed and force, outwardly fromthe machine, through the opening 83 in the wall 82 of the coveringmember 6 I.

After the disengagement of the hooked couplers I34 and M5, the rollingbase plate I29 continues its rearward movement until the downwardmovement of the pins 88 on the chain belt, as they pass around the idlersprocket 63, releases the fingers HI and H2. The rearward movement ofthe fingers IlI and ill! will draw the weight I853, within thecylindrical housing ll 9, upwardly and force outwardly, as it passes,the cam I94 upon the semaphore Hi3 (Fig. 3) thus allowing free passagethrough the opening E3 of the ball as it is ejected from the machine.When the weight I86 drops below its contact with the semaphore cam I54,the disk I96 upon thesemaphore I93 resumes the closed position shown inFigs. 4 and 5.

The point at which the hooked couplers I34 and I45 are released may bevaried by adjusting, longitudinally, the cam I35 which, as stated, isslidable upon the track I24 and movable thereon by means of the threadedshaft I82 which may be rotated by the handle M55. The vertical andhorizontal adjustments of the machine by means of the threaded verticalshaft 3'6 and handle 38 at the rear portion of the machine and thethreaded horizontal shaft 26 and handle 29, has already been describedand needs no further description The apparatus illustrated in thedrawings is particularly designed to project fifteen balls, inconsecutive order, from the machine. After the fifteenth ball has beenimpelled. and projected the current to the machine is automatically cutoif and the operation of the machine stops. This automatic cut off isaccomplished by the means new to be described. A micrcswitch in theconnection box 224 has its actuating pin 228 projecting through the wallof the magazine, into the trough 266. A lug 2443, upon the outer wall ofone of the pockets is adapted to engage and trip the actuating pin 228of the microswitch which energizes a solenoid switch in the connectionbox 228 which, in turn, will actuate a solenoid switch in the connectionbox 2i8 and break the circuit to themotor SI and lamp socket 230. Thecounting device is actuated by a second actuating pin 225 of a secondmicro-switch in the connection box 224. This second actuating pin isdepressed by lugs 22% formed upon each of the pockets 281 (Fig. 11). Thebumpers E53 and I54, as. already described, will, soften the impact ofthe impeller when the strap portion III): thereof strikes same.

I claim:

1. A ball pitching machine comprising a main supporting frame havingfront legs, wheels upon the front legs, rear legs the lower end of whichrest upon the ground, a secondary supporting frame adjustably attachedto the main frame, a ball magazine supported upon the secondary frame, aball discharging opening in the bottom of the magazine, a rollingbaseplate reciprocally movable upon tracks on the secondary frame, a hookshaped coupler member pivoted upon the rolling base plate, fingersdepending from and attached to the said rolling base plate, an endl sschain belt upon sprockets rotating bearings upon the secondarysupporting frame, pins upon the endless chain. belt engageable withfingers depending from the rolling base plate, a worm gear turnable withone or thesprockets, a worm engageable with the worm gea to rotate thesprocket and move the chain belt, a motor having a pulley and beltconnection with the worm to drive the chain belt, a ratchet w-eel uponthe magazine and attached to a shaft extending upwardly into themagazine and rotattherein, a drum in the magazine attache to the shaftand rotating with same, a multiplicity of tubular pockets attached tothedrurn and rotating with same, a pawl, pivotall-y mounted upon thereciprocally rolling base plate engageable with the ratchetwheel uponthe magazine, balls carried in the magazine adapted to drop into thetubular pockets, each intermittent rotating movement of the drum ringinga ball into alignment with the ball dis-- charging opening in the bottomor magazine, an impeller unitupon the secondary supporting frame, theimpeller unit comprising a pair of stretch-able endless belts mountedupon the secondary supporting frame, a flexible strap disposed betweenand connected to the. endless stretchable belts, impeller plates securedupon the flexible strap, a hook shaped coupler member upon the impellerplates andextending rearwardly to engage and lock with the hook shapedcoupler member upon the rolling base plate and draw the impeller unitrearwardly to stretch the stretchable endless. belts, a runway upon andmoving with the rolling base plate to receive a ball when drops throughthe ball: opening in the magazine, a second runway attached to the.rolling. base plate to which the ball drops from the first mentionedrunway to the second runway after the impeller plates of the impellerunit have passed, in their rearward movement, the ball: dischargingopening in the magazine, the hooked coupler member upon the rolling baseplate having a rearwardly extending lever arm, a pin attach-edto andextending plate back to its starting point after the rolling base platehas completed its rearward movement,

a. conductor cable for supplying an electrical source to the motor ofthe ball throwing machine. and switches for controlling the currentsupplyball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including the meanstherein for preventing more than one ball dropping through the balldischarge opening in the magazine, said means corn rising a stop shelfinside the magazine and pro, sting over the ball discharging opening andabove the ball pocket.

3 a l pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including a lever having awheel mounted upon its lower end and having a hooked end extending fromthe lower end at approximately right angles to the lever, the hooked endadapted to engage a cross between the rear legs of the main supportingframe, the said lever adapted when drawn downwardly to lift the rearlegs and allow the main frame and machine thereon to be wheeled about.

4. A ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including meansemployed to maintain the ball upon the upper after it drops through thedischarging opening, the said means comprising a front and rear stopmember depending from the bottom of the magazine in line slightly beyondand slightly to the rear of the ball discharging opening in themagazine.

5. A ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including a means forcutting off the electric power stopping the operation of the machinewhen a predetermined number of balls have been projected from themachine, the said means comprising a lug upon one of the said ballpockets engageable with a micro-switch actuating pin extending into themagazine and in the path of the lug upon the ball pocket, actuating themicro-switch to out off the current and automatically resetting thestarter switch.

6. A ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including a signalingmeans to indicate when a ball is about to be projected from the machine,the said means comprising a semaphore type signal arm pivotally attachedto the weight housing cylinder, a cam on the semaphore arm extendingthrough a slot into the said housing in the path of the enclosed weightand operated by the weight when it rises in the cylindrical housing.

7. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including a remotestarting and stopping switch located at a distance from the machine andelectrically connected to and operating a starting and stopping switchon the machine.

8. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including means forchanging the vertical angle or direction of the path of the proiectedball, the said means comprising a vertical, threaded rod mounted inbearings on the main frame and having a turning handle at its lower end,the upper end of the threaded rod having a rounded half spherical headengageable in pocket upon a block secured to the secondary frame and thesaid secondary frame having a pivotal connection at one end with themain frame.

9. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including means forchanging the horizontal angle or direction of the path of the projectedball, the said means consisting of attaching the front end of thesecondary supporting farme to upright cheek members slidable upon themain frame and having a threaded and handled shaft rotatable through andheld upon the cheek members and the threaded portion of the shaftengaging through a threaded bore in a block pivotally fixed upon themain frame.

10. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, in which thestretchable endless belts are mounted upon bolts which are secured tothe secondary frame and to the link connection elements and have tubularmembers engaging around them, needle shaped roller bearings engageableagainst the tubular members and a second tubular member engageable overand around the needle shaped roller bearings upon which the stretchableendless belts are mounted.

11. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including cushionedbumper elements secured upon the secondary frame to receive and softenthe impact of the stop portion of the impeller unit.

12. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including a meansupon the impeller unit for centering the ball as it is projected fromthe machine, the said means comprising projecting buttons upon theimpeller plate, each button being equidistant from the central point ofthe plate.

13. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, wherein theconnecting links are formed with enlarged openings connected with asmaller opening which encircles a bolt attached to the lower link andformed at their upper ends with a cap which is passable through thelarger openings in the links, to expedite the removal of the stretchableendless belt for replacement purposes.

14. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including a splitcovering member suspended over the ball discharging mechanism and havingan orifice in its front wall aligned with the path of the ball as itleaves the machine.

15. The ball pitching machine as defined in claim 1, including spacerwashers engageable upon the bolts supporting the stretchably endlessbelts upon the secondary frame whereby stretchable endless belts ofvarying widths may be employed.

MARTIN GOLDMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberCountry Date 2,267,162 Moser Dec. 23, 1941 2,267,163 Moser Dec. 23, 19412,313,409 Walker Mar. 9, 1943 2,540,303 Sylvester Feb. 6, 1951

